Author: boolie

Señor Oso

Our dog Bear yawns on our couch on December 29, 2023. Original: _A673100.ARW

Being able to spend time with Bear each day these past few months has been such a delight. Our work on his daily walks paid dividends yesterday when we came across an unleashed dog in the preserve. The trail was narrow and the dog started barking as soon as it was beside us. Before I could respond Bear de-escalated and led me down the trail, turning around for a treat when we were far enough away. I was so proud I would have given him a handful but after chomping down the first, Señor Oso was back on the march, culminating in his first visit to the Basalt Ridge Overlook (and only my second).

📷: Sony A6700 | Sigma 30mm f/1.4
🗓️: December 29, 2023

Savannah Stretches

A savannah sparrow stretches while perching on a cattail at South Quigley Lake in Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge in Ridgefield, Washington on October 1, 2017. Original: _DSC0640.CR2

These pictures remind me of spring as I so loved sitting beside a lush meadow and listening to the savannah sparrows sing. They were taken in the fall though, the green backdrop courtesy of the wonderland that is the Pacific Northwest.

📷: Sony A6500 | Canon 500mm | Canon 1.4X
🗓️: October 1, 2017

A savannah sparrow perches on a cattail at South Quigley Lake in Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge in Ridgefield, Washington on October 1, 2017. Original: _DSC0610.CR2

Festive

Our dog Bear on his dog bed with one leg wrapped in red gauze and a colorful rope toy beside him. Taken on December 9, 2023. Original: _A671506.ARW

While testing Bear’s hiking shoes I ramped him up to longer and longer hikes, while he easily got the hang of them I noticed they were rubbing and creating a sore on one of his feet. My wife gave him a red wrap over a bandage to keep him from licking it and while he was waiting to be fed, with one leg tucked underneath him and his colorful rope toy out front, it looked like he had one festive leg and one FESTIVE leg. I’ve been taking him without his shoes on a mix of neighborhood walks and trails that don’t have many rocks and are wide enough that he’s less likely to step on something prickly. That has worked well and I’ll keep that up for the next month while I can still hike with him every day.

📷: Sony A6700 | Sony-Zeiss 24mm f/1.8
🗓️: December 9, 2023

Brown in Green

A coyote is surrounded by tall green grasses in a meadow along the auto tour at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge in Ridgefield, Washington on May 29, 2005. Original: IMG_9021.CR2

Bear and I saw a coyote on a neighborhood walk recently, they’re not uncommon but I hear them more than I see them, especially at night when I like to go out back and look at the stars and listen to the quiet. I’ve never seen one when I had an appropriate camera with me however, all part of their cunning plans. That wasn’t the case at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge though where I saw them many times hunting in the meadows and marshes along the auto tour.

📷: Canon 20D | Canon 100-400mm
🗓️: May 29, 2005

New Tricks

Our dog Bear sleeps on my couch on May 22, 2022. Original: _Z722667.NEF

Bear must not have been allowed on the furniture in his previous home as it took me 7 weeks to convince him to get up on my couch. He’s been a regular ever since, though even now he asks for permission before jumping up.

📷: Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 24-70mm f/4
🗓️: May 22, 2022

Stirring

A black-and-white shot of a saguaro I call The Muppet on the Latigo Trail in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona on November 21, 2023. Original: _ZFC8092

A while back I decided to not use my leave of absence as a trial retirement but instead to let my mind go quiet for a while. There’s a part of myself I’ve kept in hibernation for a very long while and I’m not ready to let him rise from slumber, as if he stirs it will be too hard to go back to work for the year or so before real retirement. I have relented a little in the weeks of leave that remain, small awakenings I don’t think I’ll regret. One that caught me by surprise was a desire to play around with black-and-white photography as usually I only shoot it in desperation. I don’t think I’ll ever shoot much of it, the point is to let my mind wander into new territory, but not only did I love this quick snap of The Muppet as Bear and I hiked in the desert, so far it’s my favorite picture I’ve taken of this saguaro.

📷: Nikon Z fc | Nikon 16-50mm DX
🗓️: November 21, 2023

Marmot on the Mount

An environmental portrait of a hoary marmot with part of Mount Rainier as the backdrop, taken on the Skyline Trail in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington on September 22, 2014. Original: _7D_4520.CR2

This was a rare hike I took my big 500mm with me, but thankfully I shot the hoary marmot with a couple of other lenses too as I like this environmental portrait in front of the massive mountain. Sadly it was my last trip to Mount Rainier but it was a great visit.

📷: Canon 7D | Canon 100-400mm
🗓️: September 22, 2014